Wednesday, July 13, 2011

The Pretty Vodyanoy or that neighbour in the forest in the Song of Summer

In Ken Russell's "Song of Summer" which we are discussing this week, there are many incredible moody and uncomfortable moments which make the viewer feel as if they are actually living in the Delius home. One spooky moment takes place outside the home in the surrounding French forest where Fenby is abruptly stopped by a woman hidden by some trees. If you scroll through to 45:00 you'll find it and it won't spoil the plot.

The woman is languidly persistent in her questioning of Fenby, sensual and really creepy. She wastes no time in being invasive and manipulative. She reminds me of the Slavic water spirit Vodyanoy. Though she's on land she has that same stealth. One worries that Christopher Gables might be whisked away by the ankles and never seen again.

Vodyanoy (or Vodyanye) are wicked treacherous Slavic water creatures. They may assume any form they choose. They live in fresh water. They never die but do grow older at the waning moon and younger as it waxes every month. Whenever the Vodyanye do manage to drown someone the take them to serve them as slaves in their magical underwater palace of crystal.

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"We all see film differently. Memory also has a tendency to re-edit, re-shoot and even re-dub. A line like 'Play it again , Sam', even when the original dialogue is known to be different identifies Casablanca immediately. So if you should find within these pages any descriptions that conflict with the facts, they are that way, because that's how I remember them."
-Ken Russell

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